Following Fiction
by rolrk
Summary: There was something off the minute sports photographer intern Koshiba Mai entered the courts of the Junior High Nationals. Rainbow haired players with basketball skills that would put professionals to shame? It was almost as if she was living in a sports manga... Nah. That can't be right.


Disclaimer: I don't own KnB.

_When an extra begins to pick up a few things, they're bound to pick up the rest of the plot._

* * *

There are certain things that should never be done in front of your future boss.

Acting informally during a job interview is one of them. How you present yourself often reflects who you are. You are the product, and your resume is the details that come with it. That is why it is recommended for interviewees to wear their best business attire, or at least have the decency to tie your hair into a neat bun. If this interview was a test—and in a way, _it is_—Koshiba Mai would get a zero from physical appearance alone.

"Koshiba Mai, is it?" The head of the Sports News department, Mr. Ono looked up from the resume and gave the girl a once over. His brow twitched at the sight of her hair alone. _Did she even bother to brush her hair at all_? Glancing down at the pasted 2x2 picture on the resume, it was hard to believe it was the same person. _Make-up really does wonders…_

"That's me," She replied, raising a hand after hearing her name.

Mr. Ono squinted at the kanji of her first name. Mai…?- _Wait, the characters are the same as that busty gravure idol chick!_ He looked up again, _A complete contrast!_ No cleavage, no ditzy smile, no high-pitched voice, and were those—eye bags…? He was _this_ close to throwing her resume with the rest of the rejected intern pile. If it weren't for the impressive recommendations, he wouldn't even bother to schedule a job interview.

_Not to mention she's enrolled in Japan's leading university in Photography… Obnoxious if you ask me. _Pursing his lips, he skimmed through the tiny list of awards and experiences and took the portfolio under her resume folder. _I don't get what's the big dea- _His wide eyes darted photo after photo, flipping through each page and taking in every detail. There was a long silence that followed. Only the sound of pages being turned and an impatient tapping of fingers were heard.

Finally, Mr. Ono closed the thick photo book."You…" He croaked, throat unexpectedly dry. Mai shifted from her seat, sending a questioning stare back at him. "Why do you want to get in the sports department…?" _Why not studio photography? Why not nature documentary? Why not photojournalism? _

Mai raised an eyebrow, a smile barely escaping her lips.

"For the challenge, of course." What more than to take motion photography while simultaneously capturing a story?

* * *

Mai really meant every word she said to her new boss. She applied for an internship in his sports department just for the challenge. Taking photos of sports isn't as easy as it looks. Readjusting the focus, aperture, shutter speed for the specific shot would take a while in normal lenses. That's why there are specific lenses dedicated to taking motion photography. Being a sports photographer meant that they can't afford to lose shots since play-offs are typically timed. They need to have a good eye and the ability to work under pressure. So with that thought in mind, she wanted to step up her own game and try it out.

On that day, Mai stepped out of the building with a triumphant grin, deciding to buy herself a box of donuts on her way back home as a job well-done. She was completely oblivious to what she just signed up for. All that came into mind that day was whether she should buy the jelly donuts or the twisted ones. It wasn't until a week later did she get her first assignment out on the field.

"Junior High Nationals…?" Mai read the flyer out loud, grimacing immediately.

"Koshiba, let me remind you that you are only an intern." Mr. Ono gave an exasperatedly sigh, "Only full-time sports photographers are allowed to take on the bigger assignments. Interns aren't paid, after all. And aren't you only a few years older than them?"

"I'm in college. They're fifteen, I'm nineteen—therefore they're kids."

"They say the Junior High players are really good this year. Our sports section doesn't focus too much on school tournaments but apparently there have been a lot of prodigies popping up—particularly in Teiko Junior High's team." Mr. Ono spread out a few articles on his desk and continued, "The basketball magazines are calling them 'Generation of Miracles'. It'd be good to do research on them first, maybe watch their previous matches."

Mai took a magazine and flipped through its pages. It was printed in a way that reminded her of Shounen Jump's pages; cheap, rough sheets that were multi-colored with black ink printed over it. Still, she paid no mind to it and focused on the detailed interview article on the Teiko team. _'Generation of Miracles'?_ _Who came up with that lame title?_

"I'm assuming you're familiar with the basics of basketball or sports in general, Koshiba?" Mr. Ono crossed his arms and leaned back on his swivel chair.

"Yep. I don't play sports since I'm shit at it, but I do watch it every now and then." Mai replied, not bothering to look up from the magazine.

Mr. Ono could feel another headache coming along but refrained from saying anything. If he were to be honest, he didn't like her personality but it isn't the worst he's encountered over the years in the Sports Department. Her skills in photography made up for her messy appearance—most magazines and newspapers would pay _loads_ for her kind of talent. He would be lying if he said he wasn't lucky. Their newspaper would be acquiring her photos free of charge.

_"_So when's the Preliminaries?" _Flip._

"Tomorrow."

Mai stared at her boss in disbelief.

"First lesson," said Mr. Ono as he gathered all the magazines in a neat stack, "Never miss the deadline. In media, if your superiors assign you a task then do what you can to make it happen. You have to be resourceful in times like this. I'll expect your photos by the end of the week." Before she could open her mouth, he added, "And no. For now, we won't be providing you transportation allowance and food. Check with Nanao for your press ID. You're gonna need it."

Taking the stack of magazines from his hands, Mai fumbled from the weight.

"You can have an early dismissal. Read and review the past few matches, and don't be late tomorrow."

"Wait a sec! What-"

_Door slam._

* * *

In the end, the basketball magazines laid on the floor untouched that night.

Mai had breezed through the article she had been reading at work and doubted every word of it. Because really, who would believe what's written here? Shooting three-pointers at the very edge of the court? An ability called the 'Emperor Eye' (what kind of name is that anyway?) that can widen fields of vision and predict opponents moves? A fifteen year old with the height of 200cm? Formless shots accompanied with insane speed?

_Okay, the last part might be the most believable out of the four but still-!_

"Is it okay for me to even _believe_ in this?!" Mai blurted to her phone, voice practically dripping in obvious scepticism.

_"Wait wait—Mai, hold up, are you _absolutely sure_ we're talking about junior high kids?"_

"Yeah."

_"Real junior high kids—not fictional,"_

_"Yea—Misaki, do you want me to take a photo of the magazine?"_

_"No need, no need. I'll take your word for it. Hmm… Maybe the media's over exaggerating? I don't know—!"_

Rustle. Rustle.

Vague sound of a beer can opening.

Gulp.

_"Buwwaa~ All jokes aside Mai, for a minute there I thought you were talking about a sports manga!"_

The person from the other line was Chiyo Misaki. Both Misaki and Mai were in the same school since elementary but due to their two year gap, their relationship has always been senpai and kohai respectively. Still, they stayed in touch after Misaki had graduated. Now she was a typical OL (office lady)-with a little job on the side.

_"By the way, if you're going to take pictures tomorrow~ I expect some delicious pictures for reference! What better than to take photos of sweating high school boys! Right, right? Maybe even some backgrounds! I think Yuuchan would love to get some photos too since lately we've been on a slump in terms of sexy locations!"_

Chiyo Misaki drew doujinshis. Most of them were smut. In a sense, Misaki was a closet-fujoshi.

"I'm only going to a basketball tournament. It's not exactly a famous romantic couple spot," Mai grunted, sprawling herself on her apartment's tatami mat. "And they're junior high kids. Technically they're still fifteen. Minors. That's just _awkward_."

_"Maiiii! You have to admit, athletes have great bodies!"_

"Yeah, I do," Mai replied bluntly, "But I also never pegged myself to be a pedophile."

_"Four year difference is hardly something to call pedophilia!"_

"Really? Just four years…? I don't know, man- I feel too old for this."

_"Wha-Hey! Then what do you call me? Hmph!"_

"Prehistoric."

Thunk. Beer sizzling. Cough. Gasp.

"_Mai, you take that back!"_

* * *

June wasn't particularly hot but the rainy season had made it fairly humid. Mai brought an umbrella just in case as she set out to the train station for her first field work. Last night, she only slept for four hours. _Four hours_ because she stayed up reading the entire article and ranting about it to Misaki. To cool things off, she took out her dusty DS and played until she noticed it was nearly three in the morning. As if her eye bags could get any more prominent! She really needed to catch some more sleep.

Over the past week, she finally gathered some cash and bought herself some specialized lenses. Her camera was her weapon, the lens was her scope, and since she was using a DSLR, her shots were as unlimited as a typical first-person shooter game. It was fucking brilliant. She made sure to pack very light, only brought what she needed- phone, wallet, folded umbrella, some breath mints, and her gear bag. Slipping on her newly laminated press ID, she walked into the train station.

As soon as Mai bought her Yamanote line train ticket, she weaved her way through the crowd of black suits and took the liberty of buying curry bread before passing through the ticket gate. Normally, she would hate being pressed among other public passengers but her lack of sleep made her not give a damn.

"… So pumped for this year's tournament! Teiko's definitely gonna take the cup again!"

"I know! The generation of miracles are gonna sweep the courts, I tell ya!"

_Generation of miracles. I bet a twelve year old kid coined that term,_ Mai gracefully snorted and glanced to her left while taking a bite of her bread. Most of the passengers were either sleeping, texting, or playing video games—but it was clear that a lot of them were here to watch the Nationals. At the far corner of the train compartment, she could see a few solemn faces of Junior High kids wearing their basketball jersey. _Sheesh, are those Teiko kids that scary? The match hasn't even started yet._

**_"The next station is Shibuya. The doors on the right side will open..."_**

She could feel the soft rumble under her feet as the train rushed through the passageway. Standing up from her seat, she crumpled her brown paper bag into a ball and shoved it in her jacket pocket. Many seat takers followed suit—as soon as the soft familiar melody played, the doors opened.

**_"… Please watch your step when you leave the train."_**

Much to her surprise many of the people in the compartment left in a hurry, leaving only a straggling few behind. _Does that mean they were all going to watch the Nationals preliminaries?_ Mai paused only to throw the paper bag into the trash can, and then dusted her hands. "This Generation of whatever better be worth it," she muttered, exiting the station as soon as possible. Her fingers were already itching to take some photos.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium was enormous. Mai had only seen it a few times on television but never really bothered to come and watch any play-offs live. Sports were never her thing, but she was informed enough to name a few teams and sports celebrities. _The tournament opening doesn't start until 10:30..._ It's only around 9 in the morning so she had an hour to spare to scout the location out (and maybe take a few reference pictures for Misaki).

_Or take a few pictures of the teams if they ever come early._

"They might take the front entrance," Mai murmured, checking through the time table and flyers she folded in her pocket. The first match she was going to watch is Teikō Junior High vs Dōjimazaki Junior High so it was better to take a look out for the teams. There was already a parade of press loitering by the gym entrance.

Mai bit back a groan;_ it's going to be hard to take a picture if they're all going to flock around the teams!_

She wondered if it was better if she stayed by the gates of the gym. Take a picture of them first before anyone else—candid shots are ridiculously easy for Mai, it would be a disgrace if any of her photos turned out blurred. Although the background won't be showing the Tokyo Metropolitan Gym like most photographers would have preferred, it didn't matter to her as long as the subjects were easy to see. And so she lingered by the rails to set up her gear.

Grip firmly placed onto her trusty DSLR, she attached her new lens and fixed her settings. There was no need to take out her flash equipment so she would have to rely on the sun for natural lighting. When she was finished, she leaned on the chains and waited patiently for the teams to arrive. To kill some time, Mai pondered over Misaki's words. To create a hype, the media would do anything to glorify champions—and considering how Teiko had taken the cup two years in a row, it was safe to say they're _very_ good.

Mai could hardly remember the scores of last year's Nationals, with her memories blurring over the ds game she played last night and her never-ending chatter with Misaki. However, she knew that Teiko had not lost a single game and that they had a particularly weird philosophy that distinctly reminded her of some manga she read long ago.

"What was it again…? Perfect wins, always absolute? Something about victories…" Mai mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. Damn it, she really needed some sleep.

"-They're here! The Generation of Miracles! Ever victorious!"

_Oh fuck,_ Mai thought. She clambered out of her lax posture, eyes darting to any Junior High kid with a basketball jersey. She snapped the on-button, and readied her camera. As soon as she saw a flash of white and light blue, she immediately took a photograph. It was a beautiful group shot, the team walking forward with their jacket unceremoniously billowing like some sort of cape you only see in movies. Mai would have taken more photos, better ones—portraits of their faces as they walked past her _short_ figure.

But Mai couldn't.

She knew herself well. She wasn't one of those press photographers who were sleazy, and obnoxious. When Mai took her pictures, she would do so quietly without bothering the subject. And for the record, she wasn't as short as most Japanese women. Her height wasn't a staggering 170cm, but she was happy with her 168. It was _nowhere_ _near_ these kids.

_Kids._ Holy shit.

Mai's firm grip slowly loosened as she lowered her camera. Her mind drew to a blank as she watched the press crowd around their towering figures—okay, maybe she was just shocked at the 6-feet fifteen year old. But that wasn't what shocked her the most. No, she could handle the height.

_It was just- _

"There he is! The ace of the renowned Generation of Miracles, Aomine Daiki! How many shots is he going to make today?!"

"And there's the magnificent three-pointer, Midorima Shintarou! His shots never miss, and he makes the most astonishing arcs!"

"Kise Ryouta! His copying abilities will surely wipe out the other Junior High teams! It's incredible how he can balance his practice and work as a part-time model!"

"Don't forget their amazing center, Murasakibara Atsushi! He's 6'8"- with that height, he's sure to defend their team's basket with all his power!"

"And there's the captain of the Generation of Miracles! Point guard, Seijurou Akashi! With his abilities, he'll definitely bring Teiko to another consecutive win!"

"The Generation of Miracles!"

_Was it really fucking necessary to describe everyone?_

_And why didn't they bother introducing that kid with the light blue hair?! Who has light blue hair, or purple, or blue for that matter?! _Mai was already in the pinnacle of screaming her absolute shock the moment she saw the team. The pictures shown in the magazines weren't printed in color so she had no idea that they had—

"R-Rainbow hair," she managed to choke out. Why wasn't anyone pointing any of these out? Didn't they find any of this weird?

It took roughly around fifteen minutes before she finally got herself to wake up from her stupor. She didn't have time to take a picture of Dōjimazaki Junior High—they probably passed by while she was still in the middle of processing what had just happened. At this point Koshiba Mai was in the middle of the denial stage. Maybe it was a spur of the moment thing, maybe junior high students were allowed to color their hair other than the usual brunette and bleached hair. Or it was their natural hair color.

_No. That can't be right. _

In the middle of her bustling thoughts, an idea began to bloom in Koshiba Mai's mind. It was a small, incredulous idea that if she had a minute to think through it, she would have discarded it immediately. Maybe her life was a lie. Maybe, just maybe… she was actually living in a sports manga.

* * *

Prologue complete, I hope you all enjoyed it. I can't wait to break down the fourth wall, lmao.


End file.
